Staying Hydrated in the Heat

Are you already feeling the lethargy of those hot summer days? I know how that heat zaps my energy and sometimes all I want to do is sit down and relax in the afternoons. There are, however, a few ways you can make sure your body is fully hydrated and working at it’s optimal capacity.

Your body is 65% water, most of that water lives in the cells of your body. You have trillions of cells and they make up all your body’s functions. Healthy levels of hydration help in many ways. It regulates your body temperature, it keeps your skin supple, lubricates muscles and joints, enhances your mood, aids in weight loss, and so much more. The one thing that is really noticeable is the amount of energy you have when you’re fully hydrated.

Here are a few ways to improve your hydration:

I begin every morning with a big glass of water. While you sleep you are losing some hydration, so it’s important to replenish those fluids upon waking up. If your morning ritual doesn’t include a glass of water, start adding it in.

Make sure you always have water with you throughout the day. Have a water bottle at your desk, make sure you have some in your car, having a glass before you go to bed will help with digestion, when you’re at meetings, definitely before and after workouts, during meals, and remember to keep sipping!

Set a goal to drink at least half of your body weight in ounces each day. I weigh 174lbs now, so I’ll plan on drinking at least 88oz. I’ll drink way more than that, but that’s a good start. If you’re not used to being in the heat, let’s say mid 90’s Fahrenheit (35 degrees celsius), you could lose more than a quart of water each hour. A quart is about 32 ounces. That’s a lot of water.

Avoid too many sugary drinks and diuretics. I know many of us drink coffee first thing in the morning, but you would be much better off if you had a big glass of water first and the coffee later.

Drink some electrolyte enhanced sport drinks (without too much sugar, please). Straight up fruit juice isn’t the best, though a sip or two can be fine, but coconut water will definitely help. Most sport drinks that include electrolytes will help as well. You want to make sure you’re not drinking too much water and flushing out all the sodium and potassium in your body.

Finally, eat some fresh fruit. Berries, water melon, and the like will definitely help you feel refreshed on a hot summer day. They will also include a lot of the electrolytes you need to stay hydrated. After all, there was a time when us humans didn’t know about sport drinks and electrolytes, we just drank water, ate fruit, took a dip in cool water, and found some shade to stay cool.

Start here...

Enter your email and you'll automatically receive the meditation videos. Thank you for being here. We'll keep you up to date with our latest adventures, knowledge, and cool stuff to help us all transform our lives!

Success! One more step to get started with your meditation transformation! Check your email to confirm your subscription and the videos will begin immediately! Thank you so much for giving meditation a shot. I've had so many profound experiences and I hope you find the same to be true. I'm always here to help, so feel free to send me a note. Peace, Ted.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

First Name

Email Address

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer.

Ted McDonald is a yoga teacher, fitness trainer, endurance athlete, entrepreneur, avid traveler and philanthropist. A former Elite Adventure Racer and a Lacrosse player at UCLA, he has been an athlete his entire life. He began teaching yoga and meditation over a decade ago and continues to compete in marathons and triathlons. Educated in both Iyengar and Ashtanga styles of yoga, he focuses his yoga sessions on strength, alignment and the breath, in order to help students increase their flexibility, strength and focus. He teaches many forms of meditation and a yin or restorative yoga class specifically designed to lengthen connective tissue, prevent injuries and open energetic pathways in the body. He is the founder of Adventure Yoga Retreats, a company that organizes premium travel adventures that enrich lives and inspire people to perform at their highest level. His versatility and knowledge allows him to successfully tailor his teaching and retreats to a diverse audience, including athletes, business professionals, yoga teachers, as well as beginning students. He owns 5 Point Yoga, two premiere yoga and fitness studios in Malibu, California. Ted co-created and is featured in Tony Horton’s p90x:2 yoga sequence as well as Tony’s yoga “expert” for his one-on-one video series. He is a long time lululemon ambassador and is the designated yoga teacher for the Tour de France winning professional cycling BMC Racing Team. And most recently Ted’s Yoga bootcamp video series for ExerciseTV was released with great success.

Start here...

Enter your email and you'll automatically receive the meditation videos. Thank you for being here. We'll keep you up to date with our latest adventures, knowledge, and cool stuff to help us all transform our lives!

Success! One more step to get started with your meditation transformation! Check your email to confirm your subscription and the videos will begin immediately! Thank you so much for giving meditation a shot. I've had so many profound experiences and I hope you find the same to be true. I'm always here to help, so feel free to send me a note. Peace, Ted.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

First Name

Email Address

We use this field to detect spam bots. If you fill this in, you will be marked as a spammer.